दृष्ट्वा तां विस्मिताः सर्वे वयं तत्र स्थिताऽभवन् । केयं कान्ता च किं नाम न जानीमोऽत्र संस्थिताः
Seeing her, we all stood there astonished, wondering, 'Who is this lovely lady? What is her name? We do not know, standing here.'
सहस्रनयना रामा सहस्रकरसंयुता । सहस्रवदना रम्या भाति दूरादसंशयम्
With a thousand eyes, radiant, endowed with a thousand hands, and a thousand beautiful faces, she shone from afar, without doubt,
नाप्सरा नापि गन्धर्वी नेयं देवाङ्गना किल । इति संशयमापन्नास्तत्र नारद संस्थिताः
'She is not an apsaras, nor a gandharvī, nor is she a divine maiden,'—thus, O Nārada, we stood there, filled with doubt,
तदाऽसौ भगवान्विष्णुर्दृष्ट्वा तां चारुहासिनीम् । उवाचाम्बां स्वविज्ञानात्कृत्वा मनसि निश्चयम्
Then, Lord Viṣṇu, seeing her with a lovely smile, resolved in his mind and spoke to the Mother from his own understanding,
एषा भगवती देवी सर्वेषां कारणं हि नः । महाविद्या महामाया पूर्णा प्रकृतिरव्यया
This blessed Goddess is indeed the cause of all for us; she is the great wisdom, the great illusion, the complete and imperishable primal nature.
दुर्ज्ञेयाऽल्पधियां देवी योगगम्या दुराशया । इच्छा परात्मनः कामं नित्यानित्यस्वरूपिणी
The Goddess is difficult to comprehend for those of little intellect, attainable through yoga, yet elusive; she is the supreme will of the Highest Self, embodying both the eternal and the transient.
दुराराध्याऽल्पभाग्यैश्च देवी विश्वेश्वरी शिवा । वेदगर्भा विशालाक्षी सर्वेषामादिरीश्वरी
The Goddess, ruler of the universe, auspicious, is hard to propitiate for those of little fortune; she holds the Vedas within, has wide eyes, and is the original sovereign of all.
एषा संहृत्य सकलं विश्वं क्रीडति संक्षये । लिङ्गानि सर्वजीवानां स्वशरीरे निवेश्य च
She withdraws the entire universe and plays at its dissolution, placing the marks of all living beings within her own body.
सर्वबीजमयी ह्येषा राजते साम्प्रतं सुरौ । विभूतयः स्थिताः पार्श्वे पश्यतां कोटिशः क्रमात्
She, composed of all seeds, now shines forth, O gods; countless powers stand at her side, visible in succession.
दिव्याभरणभूषाढ्या दिव्यगन्धानुलेपनाः । परिचर्यापराः सर्वाः पश्यतां ब्रह्मशङ्करौ
Adorned with divine ornaments and anointed with celestial fragrances, all are devoted to her service, as Brahma and Shiva look on.
धन्या वयं महाभागाः कृतकृत्याः स्म साम्प्रतम् । यदत्र दर्शनं प्राप्तं भगवत्याः स्वयं त्विदम्
We are blessed, greatly fortunate, and now fulfilled, for we have attained this vision of the Goddess herself.
तपस्तप्तं पुरा यत्नात्तस्येदं फलमुत्तमम् । अन्यथा दर्शनं कुत्र भवेदस्माकमादरात्
The austerity performed in the past with effort has yielded this supreme fruit; otherwise, how could we have obtained this vision with reverence?
पश्यन्ति पुण्यपुञ्जा ये ये वदान्यास्तपस्विनः । रागिणो नैव पश्यन्ति देवीं भगवतीं शिवाम्
Those who are repositories of merit, generous ascetics, see the blessed, auspicious Goddess; the passionate do not see her.
मूलप्रकृतिरेवैषा सदा पुरुषसङ्गता । ब्रह्माण्डं दर्शयत्येषा कृत्वा वै परमात्मने
She is indeed the root nature, always united with the Purusha; she reveals the universe, having created it for the Supreme Self.
द्रष्टाऽसौ दृश्यमखिलं ब्रह्माण्डं देवताः सुरौ । तस्यैषा कारणं सर्वा माया सर्वेश्वरी शिवा
He is the seer, all the universe is the seen, O gods; she is the cause of all for him, the illusion, the sovereign, the auspicious.
क्वाहं वा क्व सुराः सर्वे रम्भाद्याः सुरयोषितः । लक्षांशेन तुलामस्या न भवामः कथञ्चन
Where am I, and where are all the gods, and celestial women like Rambha? By no means do we equal her, not even by a fraction.
सैषा वराङ्गना नाम या वै दृष्टा महार्णवे । बालभावे महादेवी दोलयन्तीव मां मुदा
This is the noble lady who was seen in the great ocean, the great Goddess in child form, joyfully rocking me.
शयनं वटपत्रे च पर्यङ्के सुस्थिरे दृढे । पादाङ्गुष्ठं करे कृत्वा निवेश्य मुखपङ्कजे
Lying on a banyan leaf, on a firm and steady couch, placing her big toe in her hand and setting it upon her lotus-like mouth,
लेलिहन्तञ्च क्रीडन्तमनेकैबालचेष्टितैः । रममाणं कोमलाङ्गं वटपत्रपुटे स्थितम्
She licked and played, with many childish gestures, delighting, her tender body resting within the fold of the banyan leaf.
गायन्ती दोलयन्ती च बालभावान्मयि स्थिते । सेयं सुनिश्चितं ज्ञातं जातं मे दर्शनादिव
Singing and rocking, she remained in child form with me; this is now certainly known to me, as if revealed by vision.
कामं नो जननी सैषा शृणु तं प्रवदाम्यहम् । अनुभूतं मया पूर्वं प्रत्यभिज्ञा समुत्थिता
Indeed, she is our mother; listen, I will tell you that which I experienced before, as recognition has arisen.
विष्णुना कृतं देवीस्तोत्रम् ब्रह्मोवाच इत्युक्त्वा भगवान्विष्णुः पुनराह जनार्दनः । वयं गच्छेम पार्श्वेऽस्याः प्रणमन्तः पुनः पुनः
The hymn to the Goddess composed by Vishnu. Brahma spoke: Having said this, the blessed Vishnu, Janardana, again spoke: Let us go to her side, bowing again and again.
सेयं वरा महामाया दास्यत्येषा वरान् हि नः । स्तुवामः सन्निधिं प्राप्य निर्भयाश्चरणान्तिके
This great Māyā, the bestower of boons, will surely grant us blessings; let us approach her presence and praise her, fearless, at her feet.
यदि नो वारयिष्यन्ति द्वारस्थाः परिचारकाः । पठिष्यामश्च तत्रस्थाः स्तुतिं देव्याः समाहिताः
If the attendants standing at the door prevent us, we will remain there and recite hymns to the Goddess with focused minds.
ब्रह्मोवाच इत्युक्ते हरिणा वाक्ये सुप्रहृष्टौ सुसंस्थितौ । जातौ प्रमुदितौ कामं निकटे गमनाय च
Brahmā said: When Hari spoke these words, both of us became exceedingly delighted and firmly resolved, eager to go near.
ओमित्युक्त्वा हरिं सर्वे विमानात्त्वरितास्त्रयः । उत्तीर्य निर्गता द्वारि शङ्कमाना मनस्यलम्
Uttering 'Om,' all three of us quickly descended from the celestial chariot, exited to the doorway, and were filled with apprehension in our minds.
द्वारस्थान् वीक्ष्य तान्सर्वान्देवी भगवती तदा । स्मितं कृत्वा चकाराशु तांस्त्रीन्स्त्रीरूपधारिणः
Then the Divine Goddess, seeing all those stationed at the door, smiled and immediately made the three of us assume the form of women.
वयं युवतयो जाताः सुरूपाश्चारुभूषणाः । विस्मयै परमं प्राप्ता गतास्तत्सन्निधिं पुनः
We became young women, beautiful and adorned with lovely ornaments, filled with utmost wonder, and again reached her presence.
सा दृष्ट्वा नः स्थितांस्तत्र स्त्रीरूपांश्चरणान्तिके । व्यलोकयत चार्वङ्गी प्रेमसम्पूर्णया दृशा
She, seeing us standing there in female form at her feet, gazed upon us—her graceful body radiant—with eyes full of love.
प्रणम्य तां महादेवीं पुरतः संस्थिता वयम् । परस्परं लोकयन्तः स्त्रीरूपाश्चारुभूषणाः
Having bowed before that great Goddess, we stood in front of her, looking at one another, appearing as women adorned with beautiful ornaments.